Safety-lock for elevator systems.



W. T. DUNFORD.

SAFETY LOCK FOR ELEVATOR SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION HLED MAR- 25, I915.

Patented Apr. 3, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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W. T. DUNFORD. SAFETY LOOK FOR ELEVATOR SYSTEMS.

Patented Apr. 3,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 APPLICATION FILED MAR- 25. I985- WILLIAM T. DUNFORD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO SHURLOC ELEVATOR SAFETY COMPANY, Inc, or roan, n.

A ooaroaarion or NEW YORK.

SAFETY-LOCK F03 ELEVATOR SYSTEMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 3, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. Dunrono a citizen of the United States, residing 111 the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Locks for Elevator Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to safety elevator systems for preventing starting of the car while the landing door opposite the car is open or open beyond a predetermined locked position, and more particularly to the kind of mechanism constituting the subject-matter of my copending application, Serial Number 16,930, filed March 25, 1915, herewith. The general object is to provide a simple, inexpensive and effective mechanism, and the specific improvement covered herein comprises a construction wherein a weighted part acts upon a portion of a contact device which is thrown in opposite directions by the opening and closing of the landing door, the said weighted part serving to hold the contact device and connected mechanism against accidental displacement and to assist the same in completing their movement when thrown by the door.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof:

Flgure 1 is a fragmentary top perspective yiew of a car opposite alanding door, show mg the disposition and relative arrangement of the parts ofthe complete mechanism;

Fig.2 is a top plan view showing the cooperative parts on the landing door and on I the car;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing these parts in changed positions;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the car parts, the circuit-controller being removed for clearness of illustration;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the cooperative door and car parts, with the Weighted lever in cross-section;

Fig. 6 is a detail enlarged perspective view of apart of the car mechanism; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevation showing a double lock for the door.

The elevator car is designated 1, and a landing door 2. The latter carries a projection 3, which is preferably in the nature of a simple pin or stud extending a short distance into the elevator shaft from the top of the door and which hereinafter is termed in some of the claims the landing door ele ment.

The mechanism on the car comprises a member or device 5 which is adapted to be shifted alternately in opposite directions by the action thereon of the landing door element in the door-opening and -closing movements, respectively. The said device is pivotally mounted as indicated at at, and is provided with two angularly-spaced contact portions 6 and 6, the former of which is en gaged by the projection 3 on the door-opening movement and the latter on the doorclosing movement, as will readily be understood-by reference to Figs. 2 and 3. The contact portions 6 and 6 are constituted by vertically disposed leaves arranged in diverging relation at 90 separation, as shown, or less. The said leaves are hinged by eyeportions 7 and 8, respectively, on a vertical pintle constituting the pivot 4, the said pintle being suitably supported in a sleeve 9 forming part of a bracket 10, which is secured by means indicated at 11 to the front face of the car at the top thereof. Pivoted on the same pintle and resting on top of the sleeve 9 is a member 12'having rigid wings 13, which back up the leaves 6 and 6 and the leaves are held against these wings or abutments by resilient means, which may be in the form of a spring 14 coiled about the upper portion of the pintle and hearing at its opposite ends 15 against the inner faces of the leaves. 12 is capable of pivotal movement relative to the other two, but in normal operation these parts act as a rigid unit, since the thrust of the door projection 3 is always exerted against the inner faces of the leaves. Should the parts he in improper relation, however, the leaves 6 and 6 being for example in the position shown in Fig.3 and the pin 3 then in the position shown in Fig. 2, an attempt to close the landing door will cause the pin to strike the back of the leaf 6; and, the leaf 6 then resting against the face of the bracket 10, the door could not be closed or breakage would result, were it not for the provision of means, for example such as described, whereby the contact portions 6 Each of the members 6, 6 and I and 6 are capable of relative yielding toward each other while rigidly confined as to movement away from each other.

The means controlled by the device 5 for preventing or permitting starting of the car, according to the condition of the landing door, may be widely varied. They preferably comprise dual provisions, whereby the car-controller is locked and a circuit also effected to render operation of the car impossible as long as the landing door opposite the car is open or unlocked. For purposes of illustration 1 have indicated an electrical controller 16 having a hand lever 17, which may be confined in its mid-position by a lock 18 rockable on a horizontal axis 19. The connections between the device 5. and the controller lock include a link 20 pivotally jointed at one end on a pin 21, occupying an aperture 22 in the member 12, and

at itsotlier end pivoted to a bell crank 23- at'the far side of the car, from which bell crank a link 24 descends to an arm 25 of the lock. The circuit-controlling means preferably'compri'ses a rotarycircular or cylindrical member 26 suitably journaled in a box 27 on top of the car. An arm 28 projects fromthe rotary switch element through an'ope'ning in the box and has slotted engagement at its outer end with the pin 21. In this way a simple and direct operation of the circuit-controller is secured. The part 26 may be understood to be of insulating material and carries one or more contact portions 29 and 30, coiiperating, respectively,

with pairs of stationary contacts 31 and 32.

The contacts 31 are contained in a suitable circuit 33, which when broken prevents the operation of the car, even though the controller handle 17 might be freefor operation. The contacts 32 pertain to a circuit 34, which may be the circuit of a floor lamp, as shown for example in my prior application Serial Number 856,122, filed August 10, 1914.

g The construction thus far described is covered by my copending application Serial Number 16,930 filed March 25, 1915, aforesaid. Coming now to the special novelty of this case it will be observed that the member 12 is provided with a trackway 35, one-half of which, more or less, marked 36, is substantially horizontal, While the other half 37 is inclined. Cotiperating with this track is a roller 38, carried by a weighted lever 39, which is pivoted at 40 to an arm 41 rising obliquely from the bracket 10. The construction and arrangement are such that, when the "door is opened and the device shifted to the position shown in'Fig. 2, the roller 38, urged by the weighted lever, rolls down the incline '37, assisting and completing the movement of thedevice 5, and by virtue of its weight opposing any displacement or return movement of the parts from the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The device 5 is thus held yieldingly against accidental displacement, and the lock 18 is held in its locking position. When the door is closed, the device 5 being thereby shifted in the reverse direction to the position of Fig. 3, the roller 38 rides up the incline and then along the horizontal portion 36 of the track, and displacement of the device 5 and of the lock 18 is prevented by the weight of the parts, more especially that of the vertical link 24, which would have to be raised in order to change the positions. This weight of the parts may also be relied upon to complete the movement after the roller arrives at the horizontal track portion 36.

A lock for the landing door is illustrated in the form of avertical, sliding rod 42 carried by the door and adapted to cooperate with two fixed lugs 43 and 44 at the landing. Of these the lug 43- holds the door in its fully closed position. Lug 44 is spaced at a predetermined, limited distance from the lug 43 and causes the door to be locked against reopening, when in the closing movement it has arrived sufiiciently near to the closed position to be safe. By locating the wing device 5 at a point where it will be operated by the said projection 3, when the rod 42 is just within the locking range of the lug 44, the operator is enabled to regain control of the controller and start the car before the door is completely closed, but without the possibility of leaving it in such condition that it can be reopened far enough to permit entrance of a body into the shaft. Similar combinations and relations are disclosed in my applications Serial No. 856,122, filed August 10, 1914, renewed January 23, 1917, Serial No. 144,057, and Serial No. 16,930, filed March 25, 1915.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In an elevator safety system, a landing door, and a projection thereon, in combination with a car, a device pivoted on the car and having two spaced portions adapted to be engaged by said projection on the dooropening and -closing movements, respectively, whereby the device is shifted alternately in opposite directions, a mechanical controller lock on the car and connected with said device for preventing or permitting starting of the car according to the position of the landing door, and a weighted lever fulcrumed upon the car on an axis distinct from the pivotal axis of said device operative thereon to hold the same and said connected mechanism in a shifted position.

2. An elevator safety system, comprising a landing door element, a device pivotally mounted on the ear and having spaced contact portions in order to be shifted alternately in opposite directions by said landing door element, a controller lock, connections between said devic and controller lock, and means comprising an inclined track and a roller, one of which is mounted on said device, and a weighted lever carrying the other, whereby the device and controller lock are held in shifted position.

3. In an elevator safety system, a landing door element, a device pivotally mounted on the car shiftable alternately in opposite directions by said element, said device comprising vertically disposed angularly-spaced hinged leaves and an inclined track, and a weighted lever bearing a roller to rest on said track, combined with suitable means on the car operated by said device for preventing and permitting starting according to the position of the landing door.

l. In an elevator safety system, a landing door element, a device pivotally mounted on the car shiftable alternately in opposite directions by said element, said device comprising vertically disposed angularly-spaced hinged leaves and a track, approximately one-half of the track being substantially horizontal and the, other half being downwardly inclined, and a weighted lever bearing a roller to rest on said track, combined with suitable means on the car operated by said device for preventing and permitting starting according to the position of the landing door.

5. In an elevator safety system including a landing door, a car, and suitable means for preventing starting of the car, mechanism for controlling said means by the opening and closing of the landing door comprising, in combination with a landing door element, vertically disposed hinged leaves on the car, a spring urging said leaves apart, a separate pivoted member confining said leaves, an inclined track and a roller, one of Which is carried by said member, a Weighted element bearing the other, and a connection from the pivoted member for operating the means irst mentioned.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM T. DUNFORD.

. Witnesses:

G. C. FIEGEL, E. P. HOPKINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

